Advertising that does some good, well that’s exactly what Citi Bank has in mind with it’s new Bike system for NYC. We’ve seen versions of this across the globe, and it’s about time the big apple got a taste of eco-friendly transportation. 

Citi Bike is a self-service system that provides members with easy access to a network of thousands of bicycles. Pick up a bike close to home or work, ride, then return it to any of the hundreds of stations to be located throughout the city.The Citi Bike system will consist of 600 stations and 10,000 bikes, strategically placed across New York City depending on density and relative location to other transit options. Each station consists of a kiosk with a touch-screen, a map of the system, and docks into which durable bikes are securely locked and held until hired for rental.

Bike share is envisioned to be used primarily for trips under 3 miles, providing convenient and inexpensive mobility twenty-four hours a day for 365 days a year. Citi Bike will be available for anyone 16 years or older. To ride you must first purchase access, available for 24-Hours, 7-Days or Annually. 24-Hour and 7-Day access is purchased from any Citi Bike station and Annual access will be purchased online. Your access period allows you unlimited trips, however, charges apply for rides lasting longer than 30 or 45 minutes, depending upon your access type.

24-Hour and 7-Day users will be provided with an unlocking code to use in removing bikes from docks, and Annual members use unique keys to unlock bikes. So ride on citi-dwellers, ride on. 

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Today’s a big day for brands on the ‘book.  The social network held its first ever Facebook Marketer Conference (fMC) yesterday at the Natural History Museum in NYC (they felt a historical spot with dinosaurs was the only suitable setting) where they rolled out Timeline for Brands, among other treats. Other rumors included real-time ad metrics, 90 character limit on ads and… Kanye West. I was there, in all my dorky glory, to set the record straight. After all, it’s all about essential connections (wink). 

Timeline for Brands takes over as ‘mission control’ for your stories, the history of your company and the stuff PTAT (people talking about this - aka, Facebooks made up metric) is made of. Tabs have now been given more prominence by Facebook, as large above-the fold beautiful links. What this really means? Tabs can no longer be default landing pages. So you best get out the big bucks - you’ll need some ads to drive traffic to them - despite their new and improved visual display spot. 

You can pin posts to the top of your page, highlighting the most important stories (i.e. me in a bikini from 2 years ago). There’s Milestone stories (when I flew my first plane), Customer Service Messaging (for more creepy comments) and an uber effective Admin Panel (control center).

However, the most inspiring change to come of yesterday conference was that across the map, CEO’s - big guns - are personally taking on the social challenge. That company wide bans on social networks are being lifted, in exchange for company wide community managers. That social media directors, are to be trusted, whole heartedly, to help you, tell your story.

It was evident that marketing is on the verge of a shift - from advertising to story telling, from pushing to pulling, from shouting to listening. And as a storyteller, this is exactly the transformation I have been hoping for. 

I started out in marketing by starting out editing, by starting out writing, by starting out taking pictures. I was searching for a new way to express my experiences, my stories from around the world. And this is at the root - the soul - of what we as marketers do. Millions of stories get lost in million of dollars, but Facebooks new reach generator and premium ad content allows for stories to be told in a more organic, conversational, natural albeit sneaky way.

We’re not trying to trick you, although that’s very much what these stealthy new tools may in fact do; We’re trying to share with you. And even more so, we’re trying to share with you the things we already know you’re interested in. 

1000 marketers sure sipped the cool-aid… after all, it’s Sheryl Sandberg we’re talking about. I all but fainted when Christopher Cox strolled up in a suit. And seriously, was Alicia Keys really necessary? But be it dollars, dimes or decisions, Facebook is asking for action. They’re asking us to be proactive, innovative and fearless. They’re asking us to leap in head first and simply try. 

Or, you can go one step further: hire sociologists to study human behavior, turn the entire company into Facebook activists, empower your customers to have a voice.. go back to the good old fashioned art of human communication and tell a tale. Hey, we’re only 1% of the way there.

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I’ve got a zero tolerance policy for bad cruise campaigns, but last nights Royal Caribbean spot mid-superbowl was one of the best cruise advertisements ever. The reason why? The “Sea is Calling” was not only simple, elegant and beautiful, it was also super-smart. Smart by not showing the eye-sore of a cruise ship at all, in the entire commercial. Add to the #brilldotcom factor, today’s takeover of the 42nd Street subway shuttle into a bad-ass boat. The #RoyalShuttle… hells yeah. 

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I’ve got a goal this year… to be a badass on a board. And before I go get suited up on the slopes, I’ll attempt to master the high seas with SurfSET Fitness. SurfSET classes train muscular strength, endurance and explosive power, while increasing balance, agility and aerobic conditioning - on a board. The paddling component of SurfSET builds in both cardio and resistance exercise that mimics the motions of surfing so you can train and tone at the same time. Yes I know, there are no photos of me mid-workout… it was not a pretty site. But you know what was a pretty site? The babes behind the boards (No I’m serious the dudes are hot). Duck-dive and pop-up with SurfSET fitness - you might score a rocking bod, and a boy to boot too… 

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This members-only refuge in a converted warehouse in the Meatpacking District attracts a cool crowd of arty and media types plus the odd celeb (hello, Justin Timberlake), and has 24 capacious bedrooms. A stay here gives you access to the club’s restaurant and newly refurbished bar, with velvet banquets, a wood-burning fireplace and fresh, contemporary art — plus the Cowshed spa, rooftop pool and 44-seater cinema.

Soho House New York — part of the London-based Soho House group, a private members’ club — covers more than 45,000 square feet of an old warehouse building in the Meatpacking District. The comfortable sixth floor space, which comprises a restaurant, drawing room and two bars, serves as living room, office and party pad for its members, an international crowd from the media, music, fashion and movie worlds. There’s also a cinema with leather armchairs that shows new releases (booze is permitted), a library and a rooftop pool, which is heated to 80 degrees in winter. 

The 950-square-foot Playground has plenty of seating and an egg-shaped bath. Bedrooms have exposed brick walls and wooden floors, and range from 325 to 950 square feet — immense by New York standards. I couldn’t decide whether to dive into my free-standing bathtub or the baroque kingsize bed first. Statement pieces anchor each room: an Asian-inspired mural, a heavy green desk and a ’50s velvet couch gave mine a bohemian, British vibe. 

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! Just when I thought a map couldn’t get any sexier… Leave it to the brilliants at Business Insider to map out the madness of startups in NYC. They’ve compiled a list of 100 companies, work spaces and more to build (drum roll) the startup ecosystem… 

View NYC Startups in a larger map

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Well it’s that time of year again…. when NYC has no shortage of short shorts, sugar highs and spooky spots. This year, it’s all about the tunes so, here are my Top 5. Pick your pumpkin patch and listen…

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NYC Lightsaber Battle: What’s that you say?
Several hundred Star Wars enthusiasts filled Washington Square to swing Lightsabers at each other and celebrate culture from a galaxy far, far away. See the full set of photos at Dave Bledsoe’s flickr (via: gothamist & tiefighters). And no, I’m not insanely jealous, not one bit. 

(Source: tiefighters)

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Two hotel conversions in New York City, one of a university dormitory and the other of an office building, were reported over the past two weeks. Crain’s New York Business reported on Thursday that a consortium comprised of Highgate Hotels, Irving, Texas, Crown Acquisitions, New York City and The Carlyle Group, Washington, D.C. purchased an office building at 170 Broadway for approximately US$100 million to US$150 million from AMG Realty Partners, a subsidiary of GE Capital, according to sources familiar with the purchase.

In Greenwich Village, the historic Marlton House building, which served as a single room occupancy hotel for much of its existence since it was built in 1900 and housed Beat Generation literary luminaries such as Jack Kerouac, is being converted back into a hotel. Since 1987 it has served as a dormitory for The New School.

The New York Post reported on Sept. 8 that conceptual hotel designers Sean MacPherson and Richard Born have signed a long-term lease to manage the property, which will be converted into a lifestyle hotel. MacPherson and Born created the unique The Jane Hotel, The Maritime Hotel and The Bowery Hotel, all located in New York City. Not to mention, we heard rumblings of an Andre Balasz takeover of Cooper Square Hote… let the games begin. (Source: Nathan Greenhalgh)

Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012 begins its global city crawl in New York this week, bringing with it an army of leggy models, well-groomed editors, stressed out PRs and endless debate about the best after parties. To celebrate this international month of style, we’ve selected nine hotels from fashion’s greatest tastemakers, including Alberta Ferreti’s Italian hideaway, Christian Lacroix’s surrealist Paris gem and Sra. Rosita Missoni’s colorful hotels in Edinburgh and Kuwait. Or, if you have designs on a beach escape, hang up your heels and head to Oscar de la Renta’s Dominican Republic resort or Ralph Lauren’s Jamaican escape. Whatever your taste, these designer destinations promise style in spades via Jetsetterdotcom

A Castle Escape by Alberta Ferretti
 

Modern Missoni in Edinburgh
 

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(Source: jetsetterdotcom)

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I’ve been to a lot of festivals this year. I’ve interviewed a lot of artists, I’ve downloaded a lot of sets, I’ve planned out my get-a-reaction-from-the-crowd outfits and I’ve mapped out my recovery. So post Ultra Music Festival, Coachella, Governor’s Ball, Snowball, Mad Decent, Escape to New York and a stint in Myknonos, I was expecting a whole lot of the same. Except for the usual can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t stop tapping my feet cycle, this year’s Electric Zoo proved me, and many other festival fanatics, delightfully wrong.  

The three-day dance party on Randall’s Island had no shortage of new; new acts, new tracks and new grass (really!) filled the 24-acre island for 12-hours-a-day over Labor Day Weekend. The festival grounds had an upgrade too: a well thought out floor-plan made the trek from the Sunday School Grove Tent (packed with acts like Luciano, Gui Boratto, Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin) to the Mainstage (Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and David Guetta) surprisingly do-able. And with over 100 DJ’s to decide between, the well thought out plan made set hopping an unusually fun part of the gig. 

Despite the record number of attendees (over 85,000 fans), Electric Zoo didn’t lose its sense of ease and comfort. Thanks to an increased number of restrooms, a variety of food vendors and use of RFID wristband technology, which minimized entrance time, there were no lines to be found. And when you wanted to dance deep inside the tent, there was an actual dance floor and ample space to do so. When you’re talking about music marathons, these are small details that many festival producers overlook, the small details that can make a great event into an exceptional one.  

Zoo-goers wasted no time arriving on Friday for Josh Wink and High Contrast. The Dutch duo, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, came with a serious set full of hard beats and high energy. The post-work crowd came in time to catch Gareth Emery, Europe’s favorite dance party producer, and Feed Me, a new dub-stepper on the Mau5trap label. Carl Cox (and his infectious smile) brought some Miami techno to the Sunday School Grove tent, while Max Vangeli and Antoine brought the Size Matter’s sound to the Mainstage. But it was Moby who caused the most mayhem during his show at sundown, and Tiesto, who ended Day 1 with a flood of confetti into the dark night sky. 

Saturday was all about the tents: SBTRKT, Guti Live, and 19-year-old wonder, Porter Robinson, proved why they’re three of the hottest new acts on the scene. Beardyman (Darren Foreman) beat-boxed some Bob Marley, and played one of the weekend’s most innovative sets. Sander Van Doorn set the mood with his impeccable, technical trance followed by a night of big-room sound with back-to-back Dirty South (who covered for Martin Solveig on Friday), ATB and Ferry Corsten. 

The heavy bass from 12th Planet, Skrillex and Bloody Beetroots could be felt from the FDR. 12th Planet stood backstage as Skrillex, who describes his sound “a mix of dubstep, electro and glitch all thrown together,” took over the minds and bodies of thousands of fans who turned the tent into a nineties mosh pit. 12th Planet’s set followed suit, with screeching sounds and screeching fans as dove head first into the crowd. Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77, the Italian trio of Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, Tommy Tea and drummer Battle, mixed the madness of their most famous track “Warped,” with the surprise of live guitar, drums and punk-rock vocals. While the masks may have scared some fans away, it was easily one of the most electric shows in Zoo history.

On Sunday, Gramatik, Alesso and EDX rocked out to a packed house, despite their early time slots on Day 3. Calvin Harris, Afrojack and Armin Van Buuren took over the Mainstage and while the sounds were a bit all over the place — let’s not forget the adorable yet odd open-format performance by Snoop Dog, and the out-of-place yet delightful performance by Chromeo — the A-listers pulled it off, and kept the massive crowd in one place for most of the day. Those who wandered off hit up Diplo, Boyz Noize, Infected Mushroom, Fake Blood and Richie Hawtin, but the cult-chords of Armin Van Buuren brought the festival to a final close.

There’s a stigma that comes with electronic music — and in some cases, it may be appropriate — but there are also many reasons why thousands are flocking to bass boot camps like Electric Zoo. It’s not the first or the largest electronic dance event in the United States, but it’s certainly one of the most exhilarating. Standing in the middle of Bloody Beetroots during “Warped” was an adrenaline rush on par with my first skydive in South Africa… (and we all know how I feel about a good ol’ skydive).

The duality of exhaustion and energy, and the challenge of fighting through the fatigue and heat for something you love is part of the appeal. And in the end, the fans who stand are the ones who believe in the escape of electronic dance music, the power of letting go and the chance to dance it all away. Screaming, jumping, fighting to catch that one, last drop with 30,000 like-minded people? Well that’s what Electric Zoo is all about.

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Let’s be honest - it’s too hot to be cool in New York City today. So instead of complaining about Celsius, take advantage of some fittingly frosty activities to keep the sweats at bay…. or just perspire on purpose. We won’t judge. And if all else fails, find a frozen margarita. Stat.  

Pool. Dream Downtown.
The recently opened Dream Downtown has a hot bar and an equally cool pool. Situated between the Meatpacking District and Chelsea, the Dream is the perfect 5 PM plan. Pretend you’re a guest, or request pool access at the Front Desk…. or be sneaky, just don’t say it was my idea. 

Pops. People’s Pops.
I come from a land of pops-on-a-hot-day-in-summer, so you can imagine my elation when I stumbled on People’s Pops at the Brooklyn Flea. A one-day experiment of tryin’ a make the world a better pop, turned into a full grown business. Sustainably grown, local fruit and herbs, freshly grated ice. Delish. 
 

Fry. Frying Pan.
Set on a salvaged lightship, The Frying Pan is no secret. It’s also not surprisingly my favorite spot for post-work booze and burgers on the West Side. But I have a weak spot for barnacle encrusted shipwreck motifs., what can I say? Note: On a hot-ass day like today, they’re known to run out of beer. So be prepared. 

 

Beach. Beekmans Beer Garden Beach Club.
Grab a cold Sixpoint Lager, sit back on the beach, play some pool, lounge in a hammock…. that’s really all you need to know. Overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge, Beekmans bring the beach to the Seaport. Don’t miss out on the oyster and a juicy La Frieda burger. Oh, and did I mention they’re hosting George Clinton next Wednesday? Fact. 
 

Skate. Uniqlo Skating Rink at The Highline.
Talk about catching the breeze in yo’ hair…. Friends of the High Line, thank you so much for the brand new High Line Roller-Skating Rink. Opening Thursday, July 28 to Monday, September 26, 2011, the High Line Rink will be one of the only open-air roller-skating venue in Manhattan, and admission will be free for the first 500 people on the first two days of operation thanks to UNIQLO. I’ve always wanted to be a roller girl… no really, I do.